Eventtia Blog

Mobile apps have completely transformed the way we plan and attend events. But are they worth the investment? In this article we will help you navigate what you’ll need to ask before selecting an event mobile app.

We are now living in a world where everything in life revolves around having a good digital experience. If you are an event organizer, technology has completely changed the way we plan events.

Technology has quickly become the central element needed to pull off a successful event. Due to the rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets, mobile conference apps are now the go-to tool for event professionals to use to connect with attendees.

What’s the importance of an event mobile app?

When you are early stages of planning your conference or trade show and you’re asking yourself if an event mobile app makes sense for your business.

Well here’s a simple answer: Yes!

With an event mobile app, there is an opportunity to increase brand awareness, boost attendee engagement, receive instant feedback, and provide value-added content right in the palms of attendees’ hands.

An app will also help attendees navigate their way through the conference with ease, customize their schedules, and receive real-time updates.

A recent study showed that 91% of event planners saw a positive return on investment from event apps and 60% of event planners say that by offering an event app, they saw an increase in attendee engagement.

Considering this, here are the things might need to know before investing in an event mobile app:

Determine your technology budget

Sixty-seven percent of event planners stated that cost has the most significant impact on whether they used an event app. With technology becoming a crucial aspect of the event experience today, it’s important that you figure out your budget first and what you can afford.

If having a mobile app is a high priority on your list, then it’s recommended that you research different pricing models that match your budget and criteria before making a final decision.

Identify your goals and objectives

By the time you’ve determined your event budget, you should work with your team to discuss your goals and objectives. Decide on what strategic priorities are essential for planning a successful event.

These conversations will help discover what key elements you’re looking for in an event mobile app. It’s crucial that you discuss what features are important to your team and attendees.

What user experience attendees want

Attendees goals and objectives are just as important as your team priorities. When thinking about the design process of the app, you need to think about the end user that will be interacting with the mobile product you’ll be delivering. What features will attendees and vendors find most engaging?

Figuring out the functionality of the app is essential. It’s also important to decide what experience you want to offer to multiple parties. Doing this advanced market research makes it easier to identify the right event app vendor and avoid going over budget.

Identify your on-site support needs

You’ve decided that you want to purchase an event mobile app but aren’t sure about your support needs. Discuss with each prospective vendor the advanced training capabilities they have available and what type of day of the support they offer to their clients.

Making sure your entire team is trained on the software and that the vendor has tech support available over the phone is critical when pulling off a successful event. You want to make sure your team can provideon-site assistance in case attendees have trouble with the app.

Check the wireless capabilities of the event location

Before deciding to invest in an event mobile app, you’ll want to make sure your event location has stellar wireless access and a reliable cell phone signal.

The worse thing that could happen is that you invest money into creating a mobile app and your attendees can’t download the app or access the content because the location has spotty service.

You’ll also want to make sure your conference location package includes access to free high bandwidth Wi-Fi because most attendees won’t download the app if they can’t browse the content for free.

These are just a few things you need to consider before investing in a mobile app. Once you’ve checked these items off your list, reach out to our team to request a free trail of our mobile app to see all of the great benefits of incorporating technology into your conference and trade show strategy.